Qantas Confirms Sydney To New York Non-Stop Flights For 2028

Qantas has finally put a date on its non-stop Sydney to New York flights, with the Project Sunrise route set to launch in mid-2028, with tickets on sale from August 2027. The service will make Qantas the first airline to fly non-stop between Australia and New York.

The direct New York service is set to take around 18 hours from Sydney, slashing at least three hours off the total travel time compared with Qantas’ current one-stop service via Auckland. New York is the second Project Sunrise route to be confirmed, following the Sydney to London service that will take flight in October 2027.

Qantas first flew to New York in 1958, as part of its inaugural round-the-world service, reaching the Big Apple from Sydney via Fiji, Honolulu and San Francisco. Today the airline operates a daily one-stop service between Sydney and New York via Auckland.

The announcement is the latest milestone for Project Sunrise, which then-CEO Alan Joyce first announced in 2017 to no shortage of excitement. Nearly a decade on, the finish line is finally in sight.

The flights will run on specially configured Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft, which can stay in the air for up to 22 hours. Qantas ordered 12 ULRs in May 2022, with delivery expected in 2025. That timeline has slipped on several occasions, and the first aircraft is now due in April 2027.

Qantas A350 first class mock up at Airbus Toulouse

Qantas says the new route will give travellers far more choice between Australia and the US, and the timing lines up with rising demand. Visitor arrivals from the US are up 5% year-on-year, while Qantas' own New York traffic has nearly doubled since 2023.

Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson said Project Sunrise will be “a fundamentally different way to fly," with New York a defining moment for Australia and the US.

“Conquering the tyranny of distance has been part of who Qantas is from the very beginning. Reaching New York non-stop completes a vision we set out many years ago, and it's a moment of enormous pride for the thousands of our people who have been working hard to make Project Sunrise a reality."

Airbus’ A350-1000ULR test airframe is currently in the final stages of its flight test program. In July, the aircraft flew to Melbourne as part of its testing, with a focus on the new 20,000 litre rear centre fuel tank that enables a range of around 10,000 nautical miles. On its return journey, Airbus operated a non-stop 24 hour and 24 minute flight from Melbourne to Toulouse, the longest flight flown by a commercial aircraft.

Qantas A350-1000ULR arrives in Melbourne after Airbus test flight

Ironically, the test aircraft's trip to Melbourne may be the closest Victorians get to Project Sunrise for a while. The first six A350-1000ULRs are earmarked for Sydney-London and Sydney-New York, but Qantas has stopped short of committing to any non-stop Melbourne flights. The remaining ULRs are likely destined to fly existing Boeing 787-9 routes instead.

In preparation for the aircraft's arrival, Qantas pilots have commenced simulator training in Sydney. More than 360 pilots and 1,200 cabin crew will be trained to operate Qantas' fleet of Project Sunrise aircraft by the time the 12th A350-1000ULR arrives.

Summing Up

Qantas’ non-stop Sydney to New York flights are officially on the calendar, even if that calendar is a fair way off.

Tickets go on sale in August 2027, so there's plenty of time to build up a Qantas Points balance worthy of an 18-hour flight in business or first. You can learn how to book Qantas Project Sunrise using points here.